Wednesday, June 25, 2014

People fight because
they differ in ideas or have deep seated differences. This underlying
causes of conflict can be found in submerged in every culture. But today
people fight because they are irrational, which can lead to so much animosity between both
genres that is poisonous. There so much controversy that comes with both K-pop
and J-pop one example being, Clothing War: Craypop vs Momoiro Clover Z which
a little speculated because Korean culture or Asia in general have a lot
cultural similarities. Another example is when I watched E-girls’Rydeen which they used similar sets and
triangle graphic used in 4 Minute’s Mirror MirrorandLoveTension but K-pop uses the same set and all the time so,
who cares right because both songs look fantastic.

Let's not call kettle
black just yet. People compare them whole lot, people mistake one for the
other, then they bashed one another because of the lack of knowledge of the
two. I personally believe that music it suppose bring people together and that
the human race is a huge tribe of diversity yet we all smile when were
happy and cry when were sad.

The J-pop and K-pop
Industry are similar but J-pop has more of an artistic versatility than its
wrapped up in a bow counterpart K-pop, which is already being transmitted
worldwide. Yes, K-pop has changed due the fact it been through a lot, and yes,
the artist are usually signinto devil contracts once they've finished their training, and yes,
they can choose not attend college; like Hyuna of 4 Minute; or to go to college,
like Ukiss' AJ and Minzy from 2ne1 but they must have a good grades.

People have tried to
analyze these two music industries but there has not been a real good article
about it yet. Why not from a Sociological perspective, Society creates culture
and which includes art, and lead to music. So let's look at their history you
can tell a lot about a country from its history.

A Little History Lesson

Korea(400BC(?)-)

It is separated
from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and
the Sea of Japan (Japan and Korean are practically cousins, kind
of makes you wonder what happen if the strait didn't create a
sea between them)

During Korea’s
Three Kingdoms, of the two had relations with Japan but it is debatable
about kind of relationship between the courts, but it seems to point to
family ties.

2nd BC
Korea adopted the Chinese writing system (Hanja).

As well,
Buddhism took effect on the ancestral Korean

Mongols took
over Korea but later collapsed (known as the third kingdom)

Confucianism is huge
influence on Korean culture even until today but also has its roots
in traditional folk beliefs and folk tales of the peninsula, strongly
influenced Buddhism and Taoism.

They used to be
called Hermit Kingdom(1392–1897), which the country became the
object of the colonial designs by Japan until 1910 but
still colonized till 1945. (Music: Trot)

Then during WWII
US took what is today's S. Korea under it's wing while N. Korea was taken
over by the Soviets and we all know what happened next.

So, we know that
everyone had it's hands (China, Japan, Soviets, and the US) in Korea so, you can
see a lot influencers/variables on the Culture. Now let’s look at Japan…

Japan

People(Ainu)
lived in Japan as early as the Late Stone age period.

It lies to the
east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South
Korea and Russia.

Japan did close
itself off from the world during the Edo period (1603-1868).

The
modern Japanese writing system is a combination of two character
types: logographic Kanji, adopted from Chinese characters, and
syllabic Kana.

Japanese
population subscribes to Buddhism or Shinto some have
fused the two. Taoism and Confucianism from China have also
influenced Japanese beliefs and customs. Japanese streets are decorated on
Tanabata, Obon, and Christmas (Christian: less than 1%). During festivals
and occasions such as the first shrine visit of the New Year, the level of
participation remains high.

Latter
religions include Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Judaism, since the 12th
century until 1868, Japan was ruled by successive feudal
military shoguns in the name of the Emperor.

In the late 19th
and early 20th centuries, victories in the First Sino-Japanese War,
the Russo-Japanese War, and World War I allowed Japan
to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism.

The Second
Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War
II in 1941, which ended in 1945 following the atomic bombings
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What I found
interesting is what I read about how Korean musical roots are
probably basis of which their music industry is the way it is today.

“With
the rise of royal authority, the advent of Three Kingdoms (government) brought
about the creation of royalmusic institutions (JYP,
YG, SM...) to support the cultural life of the royal and aristocratic
families, and of palace musicians and dancers (artists)
specializing in the songs, dances, and instrumental music supported by those
institutions (JYP, YG, SM...)."

This is just some incite.
But interesting to say the least. And this is main reason why a lot artists
become Asian (Visual) Cultural Ambassadors in promoting
their culture.

I'm looking at you Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Psy. [ updated 1-16-2015]

Now, if you want to straight up compare the two let’s look at both countries musical history. Korean has a longer history breakdown of ancestral traditional music (guyak: courtly, aristocratic, scholarly, and religious) while, Japan has longer list of Traditional/ Popular Pop (Ryukoka and Kayuyoku) music dating back to the Meiji Restoration period. Therefore, the reason Japan seems musical diverse due to the industrialized induction of North to South American and European music but has stayed stagnant and slowly dropping in popularity since 2010. On the other hand, Korea had started growing popularity in 2009 but has sky rocked with PSY in 2012.

However, Japan is
still that country that still wants to close itself off. Especially, now
with Hallyu Wave bombarding them with Korean
media. According to reports, Japanese actor Sousuke Takaoka was fired from
his promotion agency after criticizing the Fuji TV network on Twitter for
airing so many Korean programs that he felt "brainwashed." Even
reports of boycotting Korean based programs with protesters carrying
Japanese flags and shouting "No more Korean wave."

Back in 2003,
was a big year for Korean entering Japanese market with BoA and TVXQ/DBSK and
K-drama Winter Sonata and then again, years later with Kara and Girl’s Generation both coming out with Japanese hits and big drama hit that was dubbed specially marketed for the Japanese market IRIS I & II. So, what is the problem well, most of Japan wasn't ready for the the change, and you
wonder why it’s been dropping in popularity and everyone switching gears.
Korean music industry lives on free publicity and the American way of getting
their artist out there seems to be more profitability. On other hand, Japan
instead of embracing exposure, it has opted out. In one recent incident,
Lady Gaga's twitter was briefly suspended after she posted an unauthorized
clip of her appearance on J-Pop boy band SMAP's variety show.

Japan

The
Japanese influence can be argued that it was always on shaky ground to begin
with. Japan prides itself on producing and exporting its own wondrous pop
culture but since the induction of Korean entertainment such as melodramas and
musical market success. We know that Japanese pop culture is too isolated
from the rest of the world to have remained a sustainable global influence due
to environmental isolation. Primarily, Japans electronic companies have
launched technologies that are only exclusively sold in Japan. And
this use to also apply to Japanesevideogame market. Japan
is something similar to going a place much like Alice in Wonderland. Although
cultural trends is somewhat inundated with the West, but it stills keeps
cultural uniqueness with martial arts, Manga, Anime, and Kawaii Culture.

It’s
unlikely Japanese artist can pick up new fans with their current music format.
These days, Japan makes stuff mostly for Japan. This presents a major
problem to the industry as a whole. One prime example of such a concern can be
seen through AKB48 a group that has come to dominated airwaves and
advertisements across Japan. Targeting Otakus across Japan since 2005, AKB48(of
48 members) has grown to become very successfully domesticated, and has
expanded into a media franchise encompassing movies, Manga, games,
drama, and radio. Their success and popularity is everything a company could
want from a girl group. But still the industry is on the rocks dragging the
Anime industry with it as well. Thus, Japanese government has established the Cool
Japan initiative but is failing to achieve penetration rates rivaling those of
its South Korean equivalents. The Japanese music industry has become so
focused on catering to popular trends; it has become impossible for anyone
outside of the market to appreciate the products it
creates. Sociologically, Japan is sexually suppressed. AKB48
frequently wear school uniforms while performing and their songs have
lyrics like “Myschool uniform is getting in the way.” Japanese girl idols are expected to publish
photo books, consisting of usually bikini shots or holiday/festival
pictorials. A song like that would be banned in Korea. Korea strongly
adopted Confucism, unlike Japan, who has only kept some elements (today only
84% follow Shinto).

Japan
is third largest economy since 2010, with the second largest music market in
world but is slowly on decline to its high dependence on CD sales and lack of
download services. If there was a need for J-pop to replicate K-pop's success
they would of done it but there might be a need for J-pop to go with a less
traditional route then they have been doing to get their artist more exposure.

Korea

There are a number of reasons why South Korea’s ambitions to
be the world’s pop culture factory. Other reasons is that Japanese(youth)
are nutty for Korean pop culture, and have pretty much voluntarily ceded the
tastemaker role to South Korea. Secondly, K-pop has already conquered Europe, and
particularly the French, love Korean pop culture with a frenzy. Part of this
may be because the K-pop sound has American/European influences. Another
reason, Korea culture protects childhood innocence at any price. This means
that even if the K-pop idols are of age, they can’t appear in a spread that
would be inappropriate for their child fans. K-pop bands need at least to look
and act like grown women; examples of this Girls Generation, Aliee,and 2ne1.

The reason for this Korea’s
large Christian population and even centuries rooted in Confucianism the system
of governance before the arrival of Christian missionaries. Also, several
generations of South Koreans grew up hearing American pop on American Forces
Network television and radio, and US soldiers’ tastes created the demand for
American music to be sold in shops and played in night clubs. Perhaps this is
why the K-pop sound is much more US-influenced than J-pop is, particularly with
the K-pop’s predilection for R&B, hip-hop, and rap. Lastly, South Korean
recording industry is run like huge conglomerates; scouting,training their recruits for years until they are ready for the public eye. Hey,
Roman wasn't built in a day. I leave you guys with this quote and other references to
look at::